The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-06-24
The Graduates Celebration.

y. Nv.
Mr.. George A. Tolman. Miss Winnifred Fuller.
The Graduates Celebration.
At p. IN. there was a large attendance al
the church to listen to the literary exercises.
An Grafton was delivered by Mr.. Harry Vir-
gin, A. b., Of the class Of rs, which was an
effort entitled TO much praise for clear
thought and argument gracefully expressed.
The following is an abstract Of the grafton
which took for its subject 'sThe Majesty Of
Law"
THE GRAFTON.
There is tendency more or less prevalent
IN every community, according as It's men,
bers are thoughtful or otherwise, TO scoff at
law and to eXpend emuch cheap wilt at the
lawyers. 1t IS not confined 10 the present
age but has been characteristic Of former
times. There Is also large class Of citizens
everywhere, whose lines have been cast In
such pleasant places and whose lives are so
even and uneventful that they have never
thought why they are so favored, nor to
what In q large measure they owe their com
tOrt and happiness.
After stating that 1t was his purpose to
present such facts as would furnish food for
thought ana enable those who had no deep
and abiding respect for law. 10 know and
feel its majesty, the speaker said: Law Is a
rule Of action, "it is the order that pervades
the universe and constrains all existence p
and as the universe and all that therein Is,
depends upon the will Of the Almighty, so
the law that cOnstrains the universe" Is
divine and majestic.
The government and security of person
and property depend upon society," and sO-
ciety cannot exist without the law governing
II, so this law originating with man through
the use Of the faculties Implanted In him by
the Creator, has come down to us with the
accumulations of past time, and Is majestic
In its antiquity, as it is the link that binds
us 70 the irreyocable past.
When we ponder that the law as II stands
today Is but the result OF the intercourse, as
soclati0ns, Joys, s0rr0ws, hopes, aspira-
tlons, and emotions Of countless multltudes
Of human beings, who have lived and died.
and Of whose lives there Is no record or
monument save the law: and that we and
the changes we shall make in the law bear
but an infiniteslmal part in the grand pro-
cess; and further VIXEN we reflect that it Is
all part of the Divine plan looking to the
,iinal perfection OF the race, then do we begin
TO have faint glimpse Of the grandeur and
majesty Of law.
10 the old Roman nation more than TO any
other one race the civilized world Is Indebted
for the present condition Of law. But, al
though the world owes so much to the old
Roman law which was tinged somewi
with the paganism OF its founders,
system Of Jurisprudence in the CHI
world today has for its foundation
tian morals which civilized nations resps.
and observe. The law Is majestic in its
scope. 1t derives its principles from long
succession Of ages. 1t Is Of universal appll-
cation, for 1t regulates the intercourse Of
individuals. determines the relations Of
communities, and Is the power that uphoIds
nations ThesUnited States today owes its
existence as a nation 10 the law as laid down
In the constitution; that, which during the
dark days Of the rebellion prompted Its loyal
To-
that the supreme law OF the land might pre-
vail.
Upon international law the peace Of the
world in large measure depends; for, under
its wise principles, difficulties and dissen-
slons which threaten to change the boun-
methods Of arbitration. This country Is in
debted to the principles Of international
law for the peaceful solution, by the Geneva
award, Of the complications that arose from
the Alabama claims, at Q time when the
Northern States were well nigh exhausted
by the prosecution of one Of the mightiest
and bloodiest wars ever waged; and that,
too, when war with England would m all
probability have deprived the Union Of its
national character. Doubtless the multitude
Of American tourists scattered throughout
the wide world take no thought why they
can freely rove wherever fancy dictates, but
are simply conscious that In whatever part
Of the inhabitable globe they wander, their
nationality insures their safety.
However sublime the law Of nations may
be. 1t does not surpass the majesty OF that
fundamental law which protects the life and
property Of the citizen. Law Is the fOunda-
tion Of all property; II alone renders pos
sible its accumulation.
Man Is not like the beasts, limited TO the
present. but is susceptible of palm and plea
sure in anticipating the future. 1t Is the
law that protects the present ana guarantees
the future. 1t has taught mankind to utilize
the passing moments, 10 labor for more than
the simple present, and enables him to satisfy
that longing for more than self. which Is the
first step in building up the home; home
with its Joys and sorrows, with all its aspira-
tions, around which cluster the f0ndest
hopes Of noble men and women, where the
husband and wife mutually share their Joys
aud blessings, and bear each others bur-
dens, and where Is heard the prattle of inn0-
cent children, the lights of the household. The
love Of home, more than all else, gives rise
TO patriotism, that love Of native land which
IS one Of the strongest bulwarks Of govern
msnt.
Not only does the power to accumulate
property render home possible, but 1t In
suTes the rise Of arts and sciences through
which learning tiOurishes. Without the
power 10 accumulate property, there would
be no homes, no houses. no books or pic
lures, none OF the surroundings that render
home beautiful and attractive; no manufac-
tories, no trade, no commerce, but only the
most primitive kind OF existence; that with
out this continent would never have been
discovered the Pilgrim Fathers would have
never ventured forth TO brave the storms and
rigOrs of unknown climates; but filled with
a knowledge that they could acquire and re-
tain for themselves and their descendants,
whatever land and other property they might
discover, or by their lab0rs create, and with
the consciousness that in their new homes
under the sanction Of the laws which they
would enact for their Owu government, they
could worship God according 10 the dictates
Of their own cOnscienees, they went forth TO
struggle with the hardships and vicissitudes
of the wilderness. and there laid the f0unda-
tions Of this glorious republic which Is our
heritage.
The law is no respecter OF persons; and
IN English speaking communities the day Is
long since passed when the life Of the citi-
zen IS subject to the caprice Of any prince or
president. The law is the arhiter Of human
life and liberty, and evolved from the reason
Of man as his needs dictated, 1t Is the repre-
sentatives Of God on earth. The law has
been Of slow growth. 1t has taken all the
centuries Of human existence 10 discover
the true functions Of government; 70 obtain
the right OF trial by jury with all that Il
implies; 10 secure the writ OF
habeas corpus; to secure for the cit
izen freedom from intrusion In his home; so
that though the wind and the rain may
enter, the king cannot" 1t y only within
ltSCub thut pfirttu
tions for mere faith and opinion have
ceased that the burning embers at the foot
Of the stake have been quenched as effeetu-
ally as though all the waters that this night
beat upon the neighbOring coast had rushed
in upon them. It was only after years OF
suffering and oppression that free speech
and free press were obtained; yet all these
| principles have been acquired and now are
| part of the law Of this country.
The criminal law, those principles which
guard and protect the lives and morals Ol
| the community, Is today wise system oil
| jurisprudence. Revenge was the prominent
| characteristic of ancient law. The writing
| OF the old Greek laws in blood was symbol
/ zeal Of their cruelty. In ancient times thg
| penalty for debt was as severe and cruel a.
| that for many Of the worst Of crimes; thl
| old Jewish law permitted the creditor TO eul
| in pieces the body Of the unfortunate debtor
/ and distribute the quivering flesh to this
/ other creditors. The old Levitlcal law de.
/ manded an eye for an eye, tooth for
/ tooth, and life for a life. History relate
| that during the Middle Ages the ecclesiasti
i cal courts wasted much time cxcOmmuuicat
| ing bugs, flies and similar insects, while ami
| mails Of sufficient Size 10 be seized wer
| brought into court, counsel were appointed
to defend, sentence was deliberately pro
| nOunccd, and the condemned brutes wer
executed with extreme cruelty.
Considering that mems minds were work
Ing in such channels, IL is not strange tha
they should inillct upon each other the ex
| tremest erueltes. No wonder the Spanisl
lnquisltlOn, with its exquisite t0rtuTes, hour
ished; that, under It's baneful practices, hu
man beings, without regard 70 age or sex